When our skin is healthy it works as a barrier to not allow toxins in. Our clothing and our environment are synthetic and have toxins. Plus we are loading up the skin with lotion, soap, and perfumes that have toxins to them. Our skin is like a giant sponge, it can suck in what is in our environment.
Our skin health is also impacted by our gut health. The intestines are also skin, bacteria, and foods can damage that skin which will be reflected externally. But today we are focusing on things you can do externally to nourish the skin rather than destroy it.
In some places, we don't have control of the atmosphere, but we do have control over how we prep the skin. How we wash it and what we apply to it can help support this barrier to work for us.
With Soaps, there are natural soaps you can use such as goat soap and Castile soap. I prefer to just use the Apple cider vinegar on my skin. One of the things we need to realize the skin's pH is acidic so what you apply to it should support that. If I am doing a bath I also am doing ACV, Bentonite clay, and magnesium in my bath. In the shower, I am using a cotton washcloth, apply it to the clothe, and scrub myself down. I do not use loofas as they can be filled with mold. Mold can do a lot to destroy your skin health.
For lotions, I use castor oil, jojoba oil, Olive oil, shea butter, or some sort of natural oil. I do buy these in small amounts as oils can break down fast and oxidize which is not the best for you anything. If you have them in a glass container and store them in a dark place is best it helps to preserve them. Different types of skin may prefer different types of oils/lotions. If you want your oils or lotions to have a scent just apply some good organic essential oils. You can just apply carrot seed oil, jojoba oil, or shea butter alone as lotions. If you worry about being greasy here is an example of a non-greasy lotion.
2 Tablespoons of grated Beeswax
1/2 Cup of Sweet Almond Oil
2 Tablespoons of Vitamin E Oil (I would use Wheat germ oil)
2 Tablespoons of Cocoa Butter
3/4 Cup of Water
Step 1: melt ingredients
Melt your beeswax, almond oil, and cocoa butter in a double boiler. Once they’ve melted, add the vitamin E which is a natural preservative and excellent for nourishing the skin.
step 2: blend
In the base of a blender, add the water. Once the water is blending, slowly stream in your oils. You’re creating an emulsion.
Again store it in a glass container in a dark spot.
Sunscreen is also a highly toxic topical application plus repellants, there are essential oils and blends of things that are natural that can replace your normal store-bought ones that are toxic.
Perfumes I recommend using essential oils or natural smells like vanilla. I have mine in rollers in small amounts that I just apply to the body.
Deodorants, There are plenty of nontoxic deodorants out there. I personally just wipe myself down with ACV and am good.
Realize what you are washing your clothes in also is getting on the body. The cleaners you use are also sucked in as well. I will discuss this in another blog. This is just another area we can do better to improve our health. This is another example of small things that can have a large impact.
As with all health aspects pick a spot you feel you can move to cleaner options and run with it. You can find what works for you and then when you feel ready move to the next. These are simple changes that can improve your skin health which impacts gut health, asthma, lung health, and oxygen.
Nutritionally supporting the skin are COD liver, Cataplex F, Dermco, Protefood, Cataplex C, and Dermatrophin PMG. Then the aspect of gut health can be very specific protocol depending on the person.